Page 5 of Stanton Adore
“And we are here because?”
“I want to find out what apartment 5B is. It looks like there are two apartments on each level. Is the left side A or B?”
“I’ll go look.” Ben hops out of the car and heads across the road. I stay silent, deep in thought. Adrian sits quietly in the back, as if assessing the situation.
Ben returns. “It’s on the right, five levels up.”
“Did you get in? Isn’t there a security door?”
“No, I went in when someone left.”
I nod and look up. “She’s home.”
“Looks that way,” replies Ben. We all stay silent for another ten minutes, then I get out of the car and walk around to the road side of the car, resting my rear on the door. My hands in my suit pant pockets, my feet crossed in front of me, I continue looking up at the window. Adrian and Ben follow, each standing on either side of me, also leaning on the car.
“What’s going on?” Adrian asks quietly. I stay silent.
“Why don’t you just go in and knock, man?”
I don’t move.
“Do you want me to go in and knock?” Adrian asks, but I shake my head.
“How long since you’ve seen this girl?” Ben asks.
“Seven and a half years,” I answer flatly.
“Does she know you’re back in town?”
"Nope."
“So where do your parents live from here?” Adrian opens the back car door and gets out his iPad.
“Toorak, Melbourne. About twelve hours south.”
Adrian and Ben frown at each other.
“But I thought we were here for three months so you can see your family?”
“Yes, we are, but they are in another state.”
“Please don’t tell me we are in Sydney for this girl?”
I am still staring up to apartment 5B. “Maybe,” I answer. “To be truthful, I have no idea what we are doing here, I feel unsettled already.”
Ben raises his eyebrows. “Joshua Stanton unsettled by a woman; never thought I’d see the day.”
“It’s…complicated.” I blow out a breath.
Adrian’s mouth drops open. “But I thought you said. . . ”
“Yeah, I lied.”
“So, this girl…is her name…Natasha?”
Yes,”
“Hmm, a part of the jigsaw puzzle fits into place.” Ben smiles. “So you do have a heart?”
